Alcohols of the formula R.sub.F CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 OH have been obtained by action of the R.sub.F CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 I iodide on an amide in aqueous solution, as described in Japanese Pat. No. 37,520/1972, or by action of the same iodide on a fuming sulfuric acid, a process disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 3,283,012. However, those processes result in medium yields, in the order of 71 and 84% respectively which is a major disadvantage taking into account the high price of the polyfluorinated materials used.
The reaction of R.sub.F I iodides on a metallic couple, such as Zn/Cu, in a dissociating solvent like dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) or dimethylformamide (DMF) is also known. This heterogeneous reaction leads, through subsequent action of the intermediate product thus obtained on different substrates, to numerous functional perfluorinated compounds.